I love Thy Kingdom, Lord,
The house of Thine abode,
The church our blest Redeemer saved
With his own precious blood
As summer vacations come to an end and we turn our thoughts and minds toward a new school year--new beginning--a fresh start--so the church calendar, too begins anew. The hectic lives we live today take us in so many directions. Often it seems difficult for us to focus on what is truly important--the things that really matter--things that have eternal significance. In our Vacation Bible School this week, children are learning what Jesus asks of each of us: to love one another, to help one another, and care for those in need. This mission our Lord gives us is meant for the whole world, as well as our own backyard. This is the commission of the church given to us in Matthew 28:19-20. We gather in these four walls to worship and learn, to become God's family in this neighborhood, to go forth and to work. We are diverse, we each have different gifts, but God uses that diversity and unites us together as His church on North Star Road.
Timothy Dwight's hymn "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord" which we will sing on Sunday morning is the oldest American hymn in continuous use. It reminds us of the importance of Christ's church which He established on the earth. A paraphrase of Psalm 137:5-6, Dwight was a grandson of the great New England theologian Jonathan Edwards, and is truly one of the illustrious names in early American history. A chaplain with George Washington in the American Revolutionary War, he later became a professor of theology and President of Yale. His chapel preaching helped ignite the revival on campus which was part of the Second Great Awakening. In 1797 Dwight revised some of Isaac Watts Psalms and Hymns and added 33 of his own which included "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord."
As we gather in worship this week, may we reflect on our church and our mission. Through the ministries that we have for children, youth and adults, may we understand their importance and accept our responsibility to provide them--offering to serve where God is calling us.
For her my tears shall fall,
For her my prayers ascend,
To her my cares and toils be given,
Till toils and cares shall end.
